Pseudo Driven Shield

ABSTRACT

In an embodiment, a touch-sensitive device includes a controller, a shield sensor, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes. The plurality of first electrodes spans a first direction and the plurality of second electrodes spans a second direction that is different than the first direction. The controller electrically couples the plurality of first electrodes to the shield sensor. The shield sensor charges the plurality of first electrodes to cause substantially equal voltages to be present on the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to touch sensors.

BACKGROUND

A touch sensor detects the presence and location of a touch or theproximity of an object (such as a user's finger) within atouch-sensitive area of the touch sensor overlaid, for example, on adisplay screen. In a touch-sensitive-display application, the touchsensor enables a user to interact directly with what is displayed on thescreen, rather than indirectly with a mouse or touchpad. A touch sensormay be attached to or provided as part of a desktop computer, laptopcomputer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone,satellite navigation device, portable media player, portable gameconsole, kiosk computer, point-of-sale device, or other suitable device.A control panel on a household or other appliance may include a touchsensor.

There are different types of touch sensors, such as (for example)resistive touch screens, surface acoustic wave touch screens, capacitivetouch screens, infrared touch screens, and optical touch screens.Herein, reference to a touch sensor encompasses a touch screen, and viceversa, where appropriate. A capacitive touch screen may include aninsulator coated with a substantially transparent conductor in aparticular pattern. When an object touches or comes within proximity ofthe surface of the capacitive touch screen, a change in capacitanceoccurs within the touch screen at the location of the touch orproximity. A controller processes the change in capacitance to determinethe touch position(s) on the touch screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example touch sensor, according to certainembodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example device that utilizes the touch sensor ofFIG. 1, according to certain embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment of the touch sensor of FIG. 1,according to certain embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates another example embodiment of the touch sensor ofFIG. 1, according to certain embodiments;

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate pseudo driven shield switch architectures of thetouch sensor of FIG. 1, according to certain embodiments;

FIG. 6 illustrates example voltages present on the electrodes of FIGS.5A, 5B, and 5D, according to certain embodiments;

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate effects of water or moisture on touch sensors,according to certain embodiments; and

FIG. 10 illustrates an example method that is used in certainembodiments to perform proximity and hovering detection using the pseudodriven shields of FIGS. 5A-5D, according to certain embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Proximity detection for capacitive touch screens involves the ability todetect the presence of an external object in the near vicinity to thescreen surface without determining the exact spatial position of theobject. For example, the typical detection range may vary from 40 mm to200 mm and more. Hovering detection, however, involves determining thespatial position of the object relative to the surface before the objecttouches the surface. A typical range for hovering detection may bebetween 10 mm and 30 mm.

Information from proximity and hovering detection may be used by atouch-sensitive device such as a smart phone or tablet computer in manydifferent ways. For example, proximity event information may be utilizedto wake up the device, for changing the behavior of the system, forilluminating the screen, for showing alerts, and the like. As anotherexample, hovering event information may be utilized to determine where aperson's finger is located related to the surface of the screen.Proximity and hovering detection, however, typically involves separatemeasurement processes and/or cycles by a touch sensor.

The teachings of the disclosure recognize that it would be desirable tocombine proximity and hovering detection by a touch sensor. Certainembodiments of the disclosure utilize a pseudo driven shield to cause asubstantially equal voltage to be present on non-measured electrodes ofa touch sensor as the voltage that is present on electrodes of the touchsensor that are being measured. As a result, the touch sensor is able tosimultaneously detect proximity and hovering of objects relative to thesurface of the screen of the touch sensor. FIGS. 1 through 10 belowillustrate a touch sensor of a touch-sensitive device that utilizes apseudo driven shield to simultaneously perform proximity and hoveringdetection.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example touch sensor 10 with an example controller12. Herein, reference to a touch sensor may encompass a touch screen,and vice versa, where appropriate. Touch sensor 10 and controller 12detect the presence and location of a touch or the proximity of anobject within a touch-sensitive area of touch sensor 10. Herein,reference to a touch sensor encompasses both the touch sensor and itscontroller, where appropriate. Similarly, reference to a controllerencompasses both the controller and its touch sensor, where appropriate.Touch sensor 10 includes one or more touch-sensitive areas, whereappropriate. Touch sensor 10 includes an array of touch electrodes(i.e., drive and/or sense electrodes) disposed on a substrate, which insome embodiments is a dielectric material.

In certain embodiments, one or more portions of the substrate of touchsensor 10 are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or anothersuitable material. This disclosure contemplates any suitable substratewith any suitable portions made of any suitable material. In particularembodiments, the drive or sense electrodes in touch sensor 10 are madeof indium tin oxide (ITO) in whole or in part. In particularembodiments, the drive or sense electrodes in touch sensor 10 are madeof fine lines of metal or other conductive material. As an example andnot by way of limitation, one or more portions of the conductivematerial are copper or copper-based and have a thickness ofapproximately 5 μm or less and a width of approximately 10 μm or less.As another example, one or more portions of the conductive material aresilver or silver-based and similarly have a thickness of approximately 5μm or less and a width of approximately 10 μm or less. This disclosurecontemplates any suitable electrodes made of any suitable material.

In certain embodiments, touch sensor 10 implements a capacitive form oftouch sensing. In a mutual-capacitance implementation, touch sensor 10includes an array of drive and sense electrodes forming an array ofcapacitive nodes. In certain embodiments, a drive electrode and a senseelectrode form a capacitive node. The drive and sense electrodes formingthe capacitive node come near each other, but do not make electricalcontact with each other. Instead, the drive and sense electrodes arecapacitively coupled to each other across a gap between them. A pulsedor alternating voltage applied to the drive electrode (i.e., bycontroller 12) induces a charge on the sense electrode, and the amountof charge induced is susceptible to external influence (such as a touchor the proximity of an object). When an object touches or comes withinproximity of the capacitive node, a change in capacitance occurs at thecapacitive node and controller 12 measures the change in capacitance. Bymeasuring changes in capacitance throughout the array, controller 12determines the position of the touch or proximity within thetouch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10.

In particular embodiments, one or more drive electrodes together form adrive line running horizontally or vertically or in any suitableorientation. Similarly, one or more sense electrodes together form asense line running horizontally or vertically or in any suitableorientation. In particular embodiments, drive lines run substantiallyperpendicular to sense lines. Herein, reference to a drive lineencompasses one or more drive electrodes making up the drive line, andvice versa, where appropriate. Similarly, reference to a sense lineencompasses one or more sense electrodes making up the sense line, andvice versa, where appropriate.

In certain embodiments, touch sensor 10 has a single-layer mutualcapacitance configuration, with drive and sense electrodes disposed in apattern on one side ofa substrate. In such a configuration, a pair ofdrive and sense electrodes capacitively coupled to each other across aspace between them forms a capacitive node. In a configuration for aself-capacitance implementation, as illustrated in FIG. 4, electrodes ofonly a single type (e.g. sense) are disposed in a pattern on thesubstrate. Although this disclosure describes particular configurationsof particular electrodes forming particular nodes, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable configuration of any suitable electrodesforming any suitable nodes. Moreover, this disclosure contemplates anysuitable electrodes disposed on any suitable number of any suitablesubstrates in any suitable patterns.

As described above, a change in capacitance at a capacitive node oftouch sensor 10 may indicate a touch or proximity input at the positionof the capacitive node. Controller 12 is operable to detect and processthe change in capacitance to determine the presence and location of thetouch or proximity input. Certain embodiments if controller 12communicate information about the touch or proximity input to one ormore other components (such one or more central processing units (CPUs)or digital signal processors (DSPs)) of a device that includes touchsensor 10 and controller 12, which may respond to the touch or proximityinput by initiating a function of the device (or an application runningon the device) associated with it. Although this disclosure describes aparticular controller having particular functionality with respect to aparticular device and a particular touch sensor, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable controller having any suitable functionalitywith respect to any suitable device and any suitable touch sensor.

In certain embodiments, controller 12 is one or more integrated circuits(ICs)—such as for example general-purpose microprocessors,microcontrollers, programmable logic devices or arrays, andapplication-specific ICs (ASICs). In some embodiments, controller 12 iscoupled to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) bonded to the substrate oftouch sensor 10, as described below. In some mutual capacitanceembodiments, controller 12 includes a processor unit, a drive unit, asense unit, and a storage unit. The drive unit supplies drive signals tothe drive electrodes of touch sensor 10. The sense unit senses charge atthe capacitive nodes of touch sensor 10 and provides measurement signalsto the processor unit representing capacitances at the capacitive nodes.The processor unit controls the supply of drive signals to the driveelectrodes by the drive unit and process measurement signals from thesense unit to detect and process the presence and location of a touch orproximity input within the touch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10.The processor unit also tracks changes in the position of a touch orproximity input within the touch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10.The storage unit, which includes one or more memory devices, storesprogramming for execution by the processor unit, including programmingfor controlling the drive unit to supply drive signals to the driveelectrodes, programming for processing measurement signals from thesense unit, and other suitable programming, where appropriate. In selfcapacitance embodiments, controller 12 is operable to both drive andmeasure electrodes that are each individually a sense and driveelectrode. Although this disclosure describes a particular controllerhaving a particular implementation with particular components, thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable controller having any suitableimplementation with any suitable components.

Tracks 14 of conductive material disposed on the substrate of touchsensor 10 couple the drive or sense electrodes of touch sensor 10 toconnection pads 16, also disposed on the substrate of touch sensor 10.As described below, connection pads 16 facilitate coupling of tracks 14to controller 12. In certain embodiments, tracks 14 extend into oraround (e.g. at the edges of) the touch-sensitive area(s) of touchsensor 10. Particular tracks 14 provide drive connections for couplingcontroller 12 to drive electrodes of touch sensor 10, through which thedrive unit of controller 12 supplies drive signals to the driveelectrodes. Other tracks 14 provide sense connections for couplingcontroller 12 to sense electrodes of touch sensor 10, through which thesense unit of controller 12 senses charge at the capacitive nodes oftouch sensor 10. In certain embodiments, tracks 14 are made of finelines of metal or other conductive material. As an example and not byway of limitation, the conductive material of tracks 14 is copper orcopper-based and have a width of approximately 100 μm or less. Asanother example, the conductive material of tracks 14 is silver orsilver-based and have a width of approximately 100 μm or less. Inparticular embodiments, tracks 14 are made of ITO in whole or in part inaddition or as an alternative to fine lines of metal or other conductivematerial. Although this disclosure describes particular tracks made ofparticular materials with particular widths, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable tracks made of any suitable materials with anysuitable widths. In addition to tracks 14, certain embodiments of touchsensor 10 include one or more ground lines terminating at a groundconnector (similar to a connection pad 16) at an edge of the substrateof touch sensor 10 (similar to tracks 14).

In certain embodiments, connection pads 16 are located along one or moreedges of the substrate, outside the touch-sensitive area(s) of touchsensor 10. As described above, controller 12 is on an FPC in certainembodiments. In some embodiments, connection pads 16 are made of thesame material as tracks 14 and are bonded to the FPC using ananisotropic conductive film (ACF). In certain embodiments, connection 18includes conductive lines on the FPC coupling controller 12 toconnection pads 16, in turn coupling controller 12 to tracks 14 and tothe drive or sense electrodes of touch sensor 10. In another embodiment,connection pads 160 are inserted into an electro-mechanical connector(such as a zero insertion force wire-to-board connector); in thisembodiment, connection 180 does not need to include an FPC. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable connection 18 between controller 12and touch sensor 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example device 20 that utilizes touch sensor 10 ofFIG. 1. Device 20 includes any personal digital assistant, cellulartelephone, smartphone, tablet computer, and the like. For example, acertain embodiment of device 20 is a smartphone that includes atouchscreen display 22 (e.g., screen) occupying a significant portion ofthe largest surface of the device. In certain embodiments, the largesize of touchscreen display 22 enables the touchscreen display 22 topresent a wide variety of data, including a keyboard, a numeric keypad,program or application icons, and various other interfaces as desired.In certain embodiments, a user interacts with device 20 by touchingtouchscreen display 22 with a stylus, a finger, or any other appropriateobject in order to interact with device 20 (i.e., select a program forexecution or to type a letter on a keyboard displayed on the touchscreendisplay 22). In certain embodiments, a user interacts with device 20using multiple touches to perform various operations, such as to zoom inor zoom out when viewing a document or image.

FIG. 3 illustrates a touch sensor 30 that may be utilized as touchsensor 10 of FIG. 1. Touch sensor 30 includes x-axis electrodes 32,y-axis electrodes 34, a substrate 35, and a panel 36. In someembodiments, x-axis electrodes 32 and y-axis electrodes 34 areelectrodes in a self capacitance implementation (i.e., each x-axiselectrode 32 and y-axis electrode 34 is capable of being driven andmeasured during the acquisition). In some embodiments, x-axis electrodes32 are drive electrodes and y-axis electrodes 34 are sense electrodes ina mutual capacitance implementation. In some embodiments, x-axiselectrodes 32 and y-axis electrodes 34 have a diamond pattern asillustrated in FIGURES SA-5D below.

In some embodiments, panel 36 is a transparent panel. In otherembodiments, panel 36 is not transparent. In some embodiments, substrate35 is sandwiched between x-axis electrodes 32 and y-axis electrodes 34,and y-axis electrodes 34 are coupled to an underside of panel 36 with,for example, an adhesive. In other embodiments, touch sensor 30 includesany appropriate configuration and number of layers of electrodes andsubstrates. For example, some embodiments of touch sensor 30 includeadditional layers of sense electrodes 32 that run perpendicular (or anyother appropriate angle) to y-axis electrodes 34. In some embodiments,x-axis electrodes 32 and y-axis electrodes 34 are on the same layer inany appropriate pattern (e.g., a design in which x-axis electrodes 32and y-axis electrodes 34 have interdigitated teeth).

In certain mutual capacitance embodiments, touch sensor 30 determinesthe location of touch object 38 at least in part by using controller 12to apply a pulsed a or alternating voltage to x-axis electrodes 32,which induces a charge on y-axis electrodes 34. In certain selfcapacitance embodiments, touch sensor 30 determines the location oftouch object 38 at least in part by using controller 12 to apply apulsed or alternating voltage to x-axis electrodes 32 and y-axiselectrodes 34. When touch object 38 touches or comes within proximity ofan active area of touch sensor 30, a change in capacitance may occur, asdepicted by electric field lines 39 in FIG. 3. In mutual capacitanceembodiments, the change in capacitance is sensed by the sense (i.e.,receiving) electrodes and measured by controller 12. In self capacitanceembodiments, the change in capacitance is sensed by x-axis electrodes 32and y-axis electrodes 34 and measured by controller 12. By measuringchanges in capacitance throughout an array of x-axis electrodes 32 andy-axis electrodes 34, controller 12 determines the position of the touchor proximity within the touch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 30.

FIG. 4 illustrates a self-capacitance embodiment of touch sensor 10. Ina self-capacitance implementation, touch sensor 10 may include an arrayof electrodes of a single type that may each form a capacitive node.When an object touches or comes within proximity of the capacitive node,a change in self-capacitance may occur at the capacitive node andcontroller 12 may measure the change in capacitance, for example, as achange in the amount of charge needed to raise the voltage at thecapacitive node by a pre-determined amount. As with a mutual-capacitanceimplementation, by measuring changes in capacitance throughout thearray, controller 12 may determine the position of the touch orproximity within the touch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable form of capacitive touch sensing,where appropriate.

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate pseudo driven shield switch architectures 50 oftouch sensor 10 of FIG. 1 for various self capacitance measuringtechniques. FIGS. 5A and 5D illustrate switch architectures 50A and 50Dthat utilize current source sensors. FIG. 5B illustrates a switcharchitecture 50B that utilize capacitive sensors. FIG. 5C illustrates aswitch architecture 50C that utilizes QTouch® sensors. While specificsensors are illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5D, other embodiments may utilizeany appropriate sensor.

Switch architectures 50A-50D of FIGS. 5A-5D include horizontalelectrodes 52, vertical electrodes 54, sensors 56 (i.e., 56A-56D),switches 58 (i.e., 58A-58D), and one or more shield sensors 59. Switches58 may be any appropriate switch and operate to electrically couplehorizontal electrodes 52 and vertical electrodes 54 to sensors 56 andshield sensor 59. For example, switches 58A are operable to electricallycouple some or all of horizontal electrodes 52 to sensors 56A, switches58B are operable to electrically couple some or all of verticalelectrodes 54 to sensors 56B, switches 58C are operable to electricallycouple horizontal electrodes 52 to shield sensor 59, and switches 58Dare operable to electrically couple vertical electrodes 54 to shieldsensor 59.

Horizontal electrodes 52 and vertical electrodes 54 are any appropriateelectrodes in any appropriate configuration. In some embodiments,horizontal electrodes 52 and vertical electrodes 54 are the x-axis 32and y-axis 34 electrodes described above. In certain embodiments,horizontal electrodes 52 and vertical electrodes 54 form a symmetricalpattern (i.e., the exposed area of horizontal electrodes 52 and verticalelectrodes 54 are substantially equal). In some embodiments, the patternof horizontal electrodes 52 and vertical electrodes 54 is a diamondpattern (as illustrated) or any appropriate clone of a diamond pattern.In certain embodiments, horizontal electrodes 52 may not be exactlyhorizontal and vertical electrodes 54 may not be exactly vertical.Rather, horizontal electrodes 52 may be any appropriate angle tohorizontal and vertical electrodes 54 may be any appropriate angle tovertical. This disclosure is not limited to the configuration andpattern of the illustrated horizontal electrodes 52 and verticalelectrodes 54. Instead, this disclosure anticipates any appropriatepattern, configuration, design, or arrangement of electrodes.

Sensors 56 and shield sensor 59 are any appropriate sensors to senseand/or measure capacitances from horizontal electrodes 52 and verticalelectrodes 54. For example, sensors 56 and shield sensor 59 may becurrent source sensors in some embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS. 5Aand 5D. In such embodiments, current sources are used to inject a fixedamount of charge into the measured capacitance by sourcing or sinking aconstant current for a fixed amount of time (Q=I*t). The change in thecapacitance will result in change in the voltage at the end of thecharge injection. As another example, sensors 56 and shield sensor 59may be capacitive sensors in some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG.5B. In some embodiments, sensors 56 and shield sensor 59 arecommunicatively coupled to or incorporated within controller 12.

In some embodiments, sensors 56 and shield sensor 59 may be channels ofany appropriate microcontroller such as the QTouch® microcontroller, asillustrated in FIG. 5C, and may utilize any appropriate charge transfertechnology. Such embodiments may include sample capacitors 57, asillustrated in FIG. 5C. For example, each sensor 56A and 56B may includean associated sample capacitor 57 (i.e., Cs) as illustrated, and shieldsensor 59 may include an associated shield sample capacitor 57 (i.e.,Csh), as illustrated. In some embodiments, the shield sample capacitor57 of shield sensor 59 may be a capacitor in the range of approximately5 nF to 100 nF. Sample capacitors 57 are adjusted in such a way toproduce identical or nearly identical voltages to horizontal electrodes52 and vertical electrodes 54 during charge transfers.

Switches 58 may be any appropriate switch that may be selectively openedor closed in order to connect or disconnect two electrical nodes. Insome embodiments, switches 58 are analog switches. In other embodiments,switches 58 are any other appropriate switch. In certain embodiments,switches 58 may be controlled by controller 12.

In operation, certain embodiments combine hovering detection andproximity detection by utilizing switches 58, sensors 56, and shieldsensor 59 to cause substantially equal voltages (e.g., voltages asillustrated in FIG. 6) to be present on non-measured electrodes 52 or 54while capacitance measurements are performed on other electrodes 52 or54. Ideally, hovering and proximity detection should be done bymeasuring self capacitance simultaneously on all rows and columns of ascreen. However, parallel measurements of a whole screen for hoveringdetection requires individual capacitive sensing modules on each of theelectrodes or each of the clusters of electrodes (where the proximitydetection requires a single sensing module connected to all screenelectrodes). For large touch screens, the number of the individualsensing modules required for hovering detection may become too numerous,so hovering detection is typically done by sequentially scanning part ofscreen (e.g., first all rows and then all columns).

Partial measurements of a screen, however, may create problems. Forexample, partial measurements may create an unwanted interaction betweenmeasured electrodes and non-measured electrodes. This interaction mayaffect the distribution of electrical field lines around the screensurface. One solution—holding the non-measured electrodes to a fixedvoltage (e.g., GND or Vdd)—has negative effects on the measurements. Forexample, holding the non-measured electrodes to a fixed voltage reducesthe hovering range and increase stray capacitance to GND on the boundaryelectrodes (i.e., measured electrodes immediately next to non-measuredelectrodes). As another example, if some of the electrodes are connectedto a fixed voltage, the dielectric has the ability to concentrate thefield lines. The result is that more of the field lines are trappedinside the dielectric and few lines can escape the dielectric in orderto interact with the objects in close vicinity to the surface. In short,the combination of increased capacitive loading plus the change in theelectrical field lines trajectory causes decreased ability to detect faraway objects.

To remove the interaction between measured electrodes and non-measuredelectrodes, embodiments of the disclosure attempt to cause identical orsubstantially identical voltages on both measured and non-measuredelectrodes (i.e., make non-measured electrodes equipotential to measuredelectrodes) while capacitance measurements are being performed. Intypical solutions, fast, high current output OpAmps may be used to driveall non-measured electrodes to the same voltage as the measuredelectrodes. Such solutions, however, increase the power consumption ofthe chip and require large silicon areas. Instead of using OpAmps fordriving the non-measured electrodes, embodiments of the disclosureillustrated in FIGS. 5A-5D create a pseudo driven shield by connectingall non-measured electrodes to one or more shield sensors 59. In someembodiments, all non-measured electrodes are connected to a single linethat is coupled to a single shield sensor 59. In other embodiments, allnon-measured electrodes are connected to two or more shield sensor 59using multiple lines. The pseudo driven shield architecture allowsvoltages on all non-measured electrodes to be equal or substantiallyequal to voltages of the measured electrodes.

In FIGS. 5A and 5D, a current source method is utilized to causeidentical or substantially identical voltages (e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 6) on both measured and non-measured electrodes 52 and 54 whilecapacitance measurements are performed. In this embodiment, shieldsensor 59 charges the shield (i.e., the non-measured electrodes 52 or54) with current sources that are tuned to produce an identical chargingcurve as measured electrodes 52 or 54. In addition, the sensitivity ofthe pseudo driven shield is N times higher (when measuring charge)compared to the sensitivity of a single electrode, where N is the numberof the electrodes connected to the shield (the sensitivity in thecurrent sources method depends on the integrator gain multiplied by theratio Cx/Cint and Cx in N times bigger). As a result, the voltage on theshield is equal to the voltages of all other measured electrodes 52 or54.

In FIG. 5B, a current mirror method is utilized to cause identical orsubstantially identical voltages on both measured and non-measuredelectrodes 52 and 54 while capacitance measurements are performed. Inthis embodiment, shield sensor 59 charges the shield and the measuredelectrodes 52 or 54 with limited currents that are tuned to produce anidentical charging curve as measured electrodes 52 or 54. For example,current mirrors are used to charge both a measured capacitor and aninternal sampling capacitor as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/445,748, which is incorporated herein by reference. As a result,the voltage on the shield is equal to the voltages of all other measuredelectrodes 52 or 54. Without current limiters, the voltage on the shieldmay deviate from the voltages on the measured electrodes and hence anuncontrolled amount of charge will be transferred between the shield andthe measured electrodes. While FIG. 5B illustrates a current mirrormethod being utilized, any other appropriate method for causingidentical or substantially identical voltages on both measured andnon-measured electrodes 52 and 54 while capacitance measurements areperformed may be utilized.

In FIG. 5C, a QTouch® method is utilized to cause identical orsubstantially identical voltages on both measured and non-measuredelectrodes 52 and 54 while capacitance measurements are performed. Insome embodiments, QTouch® uses bursts to perform the capacitancemeasurements. For example, the number of pulses in the burst before theinput flips is the measured signal itself. As illustrated in theembodiment of FIG. 5C, the shield is connected to a shield samplecapacitor 57 that has a value that produces identical voltages onnon-measured electrodes 52 or 54 and the measured electrodes 52 or 54during charge transfers. As a result, the voltage on the shield is equalto the voltages of all other measured electrodes 52 or 54.

While FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate particular measuring techniques, otherembodiments may utilize any other measuring technique in which shieldvoltages of the shield are equal or substantially equal to the voltageson the measured electrodes 52 or 54. This disclosure anticipates usingany appropriate measuring technique with the pseudo driven shield.

In some embodiments, screen measurements using the pseudo driven shieldas illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5D are done in two passes. For example, inthe first pass, all horizontal electrodes 52 are connected to theindividual sensors 56 and all vertical electrodes 54 are connected toshield sensor 59. The measurements of all horizontal electrodes 52 andthe shield are then performed simultaneously. In some embodiments, ifthe silicon is not able to support measurements on all horizontalelectrodes 52, the unused horizontal electrodes 52 may also be connectedto shield sensor 59. In the second pass, all vertical electrodes 54 areconnected to the individual sensors 56 and all horizontal electrodes 52are connected to shield sensor 59. The measurements of all verticalelectrodes 54 and the shield are then performed simultaneously. In someembodiments, if the silicon is not able to support measurements on allvertical electrodes 54, the unused vertical electrodes 54 may also beconnected to the shield.

When measurements using the pseudo driven shield are done in two passesas described above, the signals measured from the shield (i.e., fromshield sensor 59) have some specific features. First, it is detectingthe object presence evenly across the area covered by the shield becauseall horizontal electrodes 52 or vertical electrodes 54 are connectedtogether. This creates a virtual electrode with the dimensions of thescreen (and half of the screen area). Second, it can detect the objectpresence from a long distance because the parallel measurements of theshield and the horizontal electrodes 52 or vertical electrodes 54project the electrical field lines far away from the screen surface.This allows the proximity detection signal to be obtained without havingto do an additional measuring cycle. This makes the signal from theshield ideal for proximity detection.

In certain embodiments, only a portion of horizontal electrodes 52 orvertical electrodes 54 may be measured in a measurement cycle. Forexample, FIG. 5D illustrates an example embodiment in which there arenot enough sensors 56 to connect to each of the electrodes. In thiscase, the measurements may be split into two or more measurements. Forexample, the vertical electrodes 54 may first be split into two or moregroups: GROUP 1 and GROUP 2. Similarly, horizontal electrodes 52 may besplit into GROUP 3 and GROUP 4. Next, GROUP 1 measurements are taken byconnecting GROUP 1 electrodes to sensors 56 and connecting all otherelectrodes to the shield (i.e., to shield sensor 59). Next, GROUP 2measurements are taken by connecting GROUP 2 electrodes to sensors 56and connecting all other electrodes to the shield. Next, GROUP 3measurements are taken by connecting GROUP 3 electrodes to sensors 56and connecting all other electrodes to the shield. Finally, GROUP 4measurements are taken by connecting GROUP 4 electrodes to sensors 56and connecting all other electrodes to the shield.

FIG. 6 illustrates example voltages that may be present on theelectrodes of FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5D. In general, embodiments of thedisclosure strive to keep voltages on measured lines (i.e., electrodes;top graph) and the voltage on the shield (bottom graph) identical orsubstantially identical. In the illustrated embodiment, the voltagesincrease linearly, which are specific to current source methods. Inaddition, the voltages include bumps where the voltages go fromincreasing linearly to horizontal—another feature specific to currentsource methods. It should be noted that FIG. 6 is not directlyapplicable to QTouch® embodiments (e.g., FIG. 5C) in which the voltagerises on steps during the burst and is not increasing linearly.

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate effects of water or moisture on touch sensors andhow embodiments of the pseudo driven shield may mitigate such effects.One benefit of using embodiments of the pseudo driven shield is anincreased immunity of the screen against moisture and water film.Moisture or water film on the surface of a touch screen creates aconductive film which works as distributed RC array as illustrated inFIG. 7. The presence of the conductive film on the surface can createfalse touches or false hover detections if a grounded object is incontact with this film, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Through the water filmthe presence of the object is affecting the measuring electrode via Cx1and the water film distributed R and C (capacitive coupling betweenmeasuring electrode and the water film on top of this electrode). Asillustrated in FIG. 8, some current Iwf will flow through Cx1.

When using a shield electrode as illustrated in FIG. 9, a large portionof the water film effect is cancelled through the capacitance Csh (thecapacitive coupling between the shield electrode and the water film).The shield has a shunting effect and prevents the propagation of thecapacitance changes introduced by the grounded object through the waterfilm. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the same current Iwf from FIG. 8 isflowing but through capacitance Csh to the shield electrode. Althoughthe currents continue to flow (Iwf) and may be the same strength, theyare changed from where they flow. Until the active electrode and theshield are substantially equipotential, substantially no currents canflow between them. The result is that no currents are flowing throughCx1 but rather the current Iwf is flowing through Csh.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example method 1000 that is used in certainembodiments to perform proximity and hovering detection using the pseudodriven shields of FIGS. 5A-5). Method 1000 begins in step 1010 where afirst, second, third, and fourth plurality of switches of a touch sensorare selectively controlled. In some embodiments, the touch sensor istouch sensor 10 described above. In some embodiments, the switches ofstep 1010 are controlled by controller 12. In some embodiments, thefirst plurality of switches may refer to all or a portion of switches58A, the second plurality of switches may refer to all or a portion ofswitches 58B, the third plurality of switches may refer to all or aportion of switches 58C, and the fourth plurality of switches may referto all or a portion of switches 58D. In other embodiments, the first,second, third, and fourth plurality of switches may refer to any otherappropriate group of switches. In some embodiments, the switches of step1010 may be analog switches.

In some embodiments, the first plurality of switches of step 1010 areoperable to electrically couple a plurality of first electrodes of thetouch sensor to a plurality of sensors, the second plurality of switchesare operable to electrically couple a plurality of second electrodes ofthe touch sensor to the plurality of sensors, the third plurality ofswitches are operable to electrically couple the plurality of firstelectrodes to a shield sensor, and the fourth plurality of switches areoperable to electrically couple the plurality of second electrodes tothe shield sensor. In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors mayrefer to sensors 56 described above (e.g., all or a portion of sensors56A or sensors 56B). In some embodiments, the first electrodes may referto all or a portion of horizontal electrodes 52 and the secondelectrodes may refer to all or a portion of vertical electrodes 54, orvice versa. In some embodiments, the first electrodes are horizontal(i.e., x-axis) electrodes and the second electrodes are vertical (i.e.,y-axis) electrodes, or vice versa. In certain embodiments, the first andsecond electrodes have exposed areas in a diamond pattern or any cloneof a diamond pattern.

In some embodiments, the shield sensor of step 1010 may refer to one ormore shield sensors 59 above. In certain embodiments, the shield sensoris a shield current source sensor, and electrodes coupled to the shieldcurrent source sensor are charged with current sources that are tuned toproduce a similar charging curve as electrodes of the touch sensor thatare not coupled to the shield current source sensor. In someembodiments, the shield sensor is a shield current source sensor, andthe plurality of first and second electrodes are charged with limitedcurrents that are tuned to produce identical charging. In someembodiments, the shield sensor is QTouch® channel with a samplingcapacitor that has a value that produces identical voltages onelectrodes coupled to the shield sensor as voltages on electrodes of thetouch sensor not coupled to the shield sensor.

In some embodiments, controlling the first, second, third, and fourthplurality of switches of step 1010 includes closing at least a portionof the first plurality of switches to couple each of at least a portionof the plurality of first electrodes to a particular one of theplurality of sensors, opening the second plurality of switches todecouple (i.e., disconnect) the plurality of second electrodes from theplurality of sensors, opening the third plurality of switches todecouple the plurality of first electrodes from the shield sensor, andclosing the fourth plurality of switches to couple all electrodes of theplurality of second electrodes to the shield sensor. In someembodiments, controlling the first, second, third, and fourth pluralityof switches of step 1010 includes opening the first plurality ofswitches to decoiuple the plurality of first electrodes from theplurality of sensors, closing at least a portion of the second pluralityof switches to couple each of at least a portion of the plurality ofsecond electrodes to a particular one of the plurality of sensors,closing the third plurality of switches to couple all electrodes of theplurality of first electrodes to the shield sensor, and opening thefourth plurality of switches to decouple the second electrodes from theshield sensor. In general, controlling the first, second, third, andfourth plurality of switches of step 1010 includes coupling each of theelectrodes that are to be measured to one of the plurality of sensorsand coupling the remaining electrodes (i.e., the non-measuredelectrodes) to the shield (e.g., one or more shield sensors 59).

In step 1020, substantially equal voltages are caused to be present onthe plurality of first and second electrodes of step 1010. In general, avariable amount of charge is injected into each electrode in such a wayto cause equal or substantially equal voltages on all electrodes (whenthere is no touch/hovering object on the surface). In some embodiments,current sources are used and the currents are adjusted to produce anidentical or substantially identically charging profile for eachelectrode. In embodiments where integration is used, the electrodes arecharged to the same voltage and then the charge is integrated. In someembodiments, an amount of charge is injected into each of the electrodeswhich produces equal or substantially equal voltages on all electrodes.If current sources are used, the charging currents are adjusted in sucha way to produce equal voltage profiles (but the amount of the injectedcharge may be different for each electrode because each electrode has adifferent capacitance). In some embodiments, the charge Q is found bythe equation: Q=CU (where C is the capacitance, U is the voltage). Ingeneral, embodiments strive to keep U constant across all electrodes. Insome embodiments, unless C is different for each electrode, Q isadjusted to keep U constant across all electrodes.

In step 1030, capacitances of certain electrodes of step 1010 aremeasured with the plurality of sensors while the first and secondelectrodes are at substantially equal voltages. In certain embodiments,step 1030 includes performing simultaneous hovering and proximitydetection by causing substantially equal voltages to be present on thefirst and second electrodes while measuring capacitances of non-measuredelectrodes using the shield sensor and measuring capacitances ofmeasured electrodes using the plurality of sensors. In some embodiments,the capacitances of step 1030 are measured using one or more of sensors56 and/or one or more shield sensors 59. In some embodiments, measuringthe capacitances of step 1030 includes measuring capacitances of one ormore of the first electrodes using the plurality of sensors, measuring asingle capacitance for all of the second electrodes using the shieldsensor, measuring capacitances of one or more of the second electrodesusing the plurality of sensors, or measuring a single capacitance forall of the first electrodes using the shield sensor.

Accordingly, example embodiments disclosed herein provide a touch sensorthat is capable of simultaneously performing hover and proximitydetection using a pseudo driven shield. As a result, devices utilizingembodiments of the disclosed touch sensor may have improved efficiencyand power management and therefore may consume less power. Accordingly,embodiments of the disclosure provide numerous enhancements over typicaltouch sensors.

Although the preceding examples given here generally rely on selfcapacitance or mutual capacitance to operate, other embodiments of theinvention will use other technologies, including other capacitancemeasures, resistance, or other such sense technologies.

Herein, reference to a computer-readable storage medium encompasses oneor more non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage mediapossessing structure. As an example and not by way of limitation, acomputer-readable storage medium may include a semiconductor-based orother integrated circuit (IC) (such, as for example, afield-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific IC(ASIC)), a hard disk, an HDD, a hybrid hard drive (HHD), an opticaldisc, an optical disc drive (ODD), a magneto-optical disc, amagneto-optical drive, a floppy disk, a floppy disk drive (FDD),magnetic tape, a holographic storage medium, a solid-state drive (SSD),a RAM-drive, a SECURE DIGITAL card, a SECURE DIGITAL drive, or anothersuitable computer-readable storage medium or a combination of two ormore of these, where appropriate. Herein, reference to acomputer-readable storage medium excludes any medium that is noteligible for patent protection under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Herein, referenceto a computer-readable storage medium excludes transitory forms ofsignal transmission (such as a propagating electrical or electromagneticsignal per se) to the extent that they are not eligible for patentprotection under 35 U.S.C. § 101. A computer-readable non-transitorystorage medium may be volatile, non-volatile, or a combination ofvolatile and non-volatile, where appropriate.

Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicatedotherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B”means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicatedotherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is both joint and several, unlessexpressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,”unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.

This disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations,alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments herein that aperson having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. For example,while the illustrated embodiments of the pseudo driven shield depictconnecting horizontal electrodes 52 and vertical electrodes 54 to asingle shield sensor 59 to form the shield, other embodiments mayconnect the shield to multiple shield sensors 59. Moreover, reference inthe appended claims to an apparatus or system or a component of anapparatus or system being adapted to, arranged to, capable of,configured to, enabled to, operable to, or operative to perform aparticular function encompasses that apparatus, system, component,whether or not it or that particular function is activated, turned on,or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, or component is soadapted, arranged, capable, configured, enabled, operable, or operative.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A touch-sensitive device comprising: a controller;a shield sensor; a plurality of first electrodes spanning a firstdirection; and a plurality of second electrodes spanning a seconddirection that is different than the first direction; wherein: thecontroller is operable to electrically couple the plurality of firstelectrodes to the shield sensor; and the shield sensor is operable tocharge the plurality of first electrodes to cause substantially equalvoltages to be present on the plurality of first electrodes and theplurality of second electrodes.
 22. The device of claim 21, wherein eachof the plurality of first electrodes is coupled to a single line that iscoupled to the shield sensor.
 23. The device of claim 21, wherein: theplurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodesform a symmetrical pattern such that an exposed area of the plurality offirst electrodes and an exposed area of the plurality of secondelectrodes are equal; and the exposed area of each of the first andsecond electrodes has a diamond pattern.
 24. The device of claim 21, thecontroller further operable to measure capacitances of the plurality ofsecond electrodes while substantially equal voltages are present on theplurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.25. The device of claim 21, the controller further operable to control aplurality of switches to electrically couple the plurality of firstelectrodes or the plurality of second electrodes to the shield sensor.26. The device of claim 21, wherein the shield sensor comprises asampling capacitor that has a value that produces identical voltages onthe plurality of first electrodes coupled to the shield sensor asvoltages on the plurality of second electrodes not coupled to the shieldsensor.
 27. The device of claim 21, wherein the shield sensor comprisesa shield current source sensor, and the plurality of first and secondelectrodes are charged with limited currents that are tuned to produceidentical charging.
 28. A controller operable to: electrically couple aplurality of first electrodes to a shield sensor; and charge theplurality of first electrodes to cause substantially equal voltages tobe present on the plurality of first electrodes and a plurality ofsecond electrodes; wherein: the plurality of first electrodes span afirst direction; and the plurality of second electrodes span a seconddirection that is different than the first direction.
 29. The controllerof claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of first electrodes iscoupled to a single line that is coupled to the shield sensor.
 30. Thecontroller of claim 28, wherein: the plurality of first electrodes andthe plurality of second electrodes form a symmetrical pattern such thatan exposed area of the plurality of first electrodes and an exposed areaof the plurality of second electrodes are equal; and the exposed area ofeach of the first and second electrodes has a diamond pattern.
 31. Thecontroller of claim 28, the controller further operable to measurecapacitances of the plurality of second electrodes while substantiallyequal voltages are present on the plurality of first electrodes and theplurality of second electrodes.
 32. The controller of claim 28, thecontroller further operable to control a plurality of switches toelectrically couple the plurality of first electrodes or the pluralityof second electrodes to the shield sensor.
 33. The controller of claim28, wherein the shield sensor comprises a sampling capacitor that has avalue that produces identical voltages on the plurality of firstelectrodes coupled to the shield sensor as voltages on the plurality ofsecond electrodes not coupled to the shield sensor.
 34. The controllerof claim 28, wherein the shield sensor comprises a shield current sourcesensor, and the plurality of first and second electrodes are chargedwith limited currents that are tuned to produce identical charging. 35.A method comprising: electrically coupling a plurality of firstelectrodes to a shield sensor; and charging the plurality of firstelectrodes to cause substantially equal voltages to be present on theplurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes;wherein: the plurality of first electrodes span a first direction; andthe plurality of second electrodes span a second direction that isdifferent than the first direction.
 36. The method of claim 35, whereineach of the plurality of first electrodes is coupled to a single linethat is coupled to the shield sensor.
 37. The method of claim 35,wherein: the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of secondelectrodes form a symmetrical pattern such that an exposed area of theplurality of first electrodes and an exposed area of the plurality ofsecond electrodes are equal; and the exposed area of each of the firstand second electrodes has a diamond pattern.
 38. The method of claim 35,the method further comprising measuring capacitances of the plurality ofsecond electrodes while substantially equal voltages are present on theplurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.39. The method of claim 35, the method further comprising controlling aplurality of switches to electrically couple the plurality of firstelectrodes or the plurality of second electrodes to the shield sensor.40. The method of claim 35, wherein the shield sensor comprises asampling capacitor that has a value that produces identical voltages onthe plurality of first electrodes coupled to the shield sensor asvoltages on the plurality of second electrodes not coupled to the shieldsensor.